Sign Off

Caught Dead in Wyoming, Book 1

By: Patricia McLinn

Narrated by: Betsy Moore

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Divorce a husband, lose a career...grapple with a murder.

TV journalist Elizabeth “E.M.” Danniher will tell you she committed two sins: She didn’t stay young, and she made an enemy of a powerful news executive - her ex. She used to break national news. Now, her top story as the "Helping Out!" reporter at dinky KWMT-TV in Sherman, Wyoming, is getting a defective toaster repaired.

Tough, funny and determined, Elizabeth wrestles with isolation, keeping a professional edge, and an evolving self-image. Is Wyoming - the land of cattle, cowboys, tumbleweeds, and fewer than six people per square mile - her new home or a road to permanent obscurity?

Soon, she’s in a battle of wills with ex-football player turned journalist Mike Paycik, who might see her as a handy rung on his career ladder or a romantic partner or both. And there’s the matter of a deputy sheriff - missing or murdered?

Elizabeth finds herself investigating at the insistence of a girl who’s set on proving her father’s innocence. Not that enigmatic rancher Thomas Burrell makes investigating easy for an amateur sleuth. But Elizabeth won’t fade to black without a fight, no matter how final some might want to make her sign off.

©2012 Patricia McLinn (P)2020 Patricia McLinn

FUN!

I just loved escaping into this Wyoming town and it’s characters. Anyone that ever lived in a small town will totally relate. Heck! Anyone that went to high school will get it. Small towns still have big drama.
The story was plucky, it was funny and I truly didn’t know ‘who done it’ until the reveal, which surprised me.

The narrator was superb, too. She has a soothing voice and all the different “CHARACTERS “ were distinctive. Some of the characters are normal but some are a bit bigger (The super market check out gossip was my favorite.) but her narration and acting never take you out of the story.

I’m in now! Will definitely download the next book in the series.

Also, I could see this as a TV show. The main crew is so likable.

Great New Series

Sign Off is a great start to a new cozy mystery series with engaging characters and a well written mystery. I look forward to the next book.

Perfect Balance of Wit and Suspense

Comedic Romantic Suspense: what a great genre! Or maybe I should file this under Comedic Mystery with a touch of romance since no one's actually falling in love here. That being said, there is a certain amount of tension running throughout this book that deals more with hormones than crime.

The characters in this book are what set it apart. E.M. "Elizabeth" Danniher has been banished from her top-tier news reporting position to a small Wyoming town that seems to be light-years removed from her previous life. She's dealing with a bad divorce, a downward turn in her career, and a self-deprecating inner monologue. She's a tough, feisty firecracker of a woman who could really use a little more filter between her brain and her mouth since that inner monologue holds such sway in her head. But she knows this about herself and pretty much doesn't care. Nothing will stand in the way of her doing her job well.

She now works with Mike Pacik, a local boy who made it to the NFL until his knees blew out. Now he's making good as the sports newscaster. He sees Elizabeth as a way to move him up his career ladder, an interesting concept since she's obviously on her way down. He also sees her as potential date material. Then there's "Abraham Lincoln's sexy cousin" Thomas Burrell, a local ranch owner suspected of murder and championed by his young daughter. An entire cast of quirky small-town personalities rounds out the list of endearing characters in this charming novel.

If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich's books, you'll enjoy this story, the first in a series. I loved the story, loved the writing style of the author, and appreciated the fact that there was a little more depth to the actual storyline than is found in the Stephanie Plum series. However, I didn't love the narrator. I found her inconsistent: at times quite good, but then she would struggle with syntax and delivery as though she was reading this for the first time. I enjoyed the story enough that I'll give the next audiobook a try. If there's no improvement, I'll have to resort to reading the rest of the series, because it's too good to miss.

New Series - Worth Listening!

I was looking for something new... tried this book. I really enjoyed it. Great descriptive characters. Will order the second in the series.... make sure you read the tag lines.. downloaded the wrong 2nd book in a series... she has more than one series.

SIGN OFF

I really enjoyed this book! It is the best book I have read this year so far! It left me with a very satisfied feeling after reading it! The narration was very good as well! I hope I can enjoy the rest of the series! Amazon Reader

Caught dead in Wyoming

This series has made Wyoming a vacation possibility on my map!  And those characters!  I wish they were real.  I'd like a history lesson from Mrs. Parens after getting the background at Aunt Gee's table, with lunch.  I'd like to see Thurston mangle the news and have a conversation with Tamantha.  I'd like to try that chocolate pie at Haber House.  I'd like to whack Elizabeth for the mess she's making of her love life with her self indulgence.  The cast surrounding Elizabeth, the main character, is purely wonderful.  There is a really nice mix of sweet and grit making them interesting and believable, including the weather.  Elizabeth is a likeable and understandable character, flaws and virtues on display.  She develops through through the series, as do the supporting cast.
The plots, 10 so far, have kept me eagerly listening.  Betsy Moore is an excellent voice for this series, nuanced and distinctive, a compliment to Patricia's tight and witty style. McLinn and Moore are an lovely team and a pleasure to listen to.  I can't wait for more.

Poor Quality

The post production of this book is awful. The last sentence of most chapters is cut off. I can deduce what the sentence meant, but when I pay $10-$17 for a book, I expect better quality.
I am also disappointed that Audible (for whatever reason) does not have book 2 in the series. I do not want to listen to books 3-6 without hearing book 2 first.